Accountable government

Our legislators, town and village officials all need to be made accountable.

This year, we will have a chance for change. Take the next few months before elections to ask questions, attend Hannibal town meetings on the third Wednesdays of the month at 7 p.m. Hannibal Village meetings are on the second Monday of the month also at 7 p.m.

Oswego County is dominated by the Republican Party. This means that the majority of all decisions being made within the county are being made by the Republican Party. No party should have that kind of control. Are you, as taxpayers and voters, happy with animal control, neighborhood junk issues and your rising taxes to name a few?

We need you, Step forward and have a say in the county, town and village future. People should know that, by law, we all have to be registered to a party before we can vote in any election.

Some people do not know that they have the right to vote for any candidate running on the election ballot regardless of the party that they are registered in.

Belonging to a certain party does not mean that you have to vote for a candidate within that party. Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing — take advantage of living in America.

Now serving the Hannibal Town is Supervisor Ron Greenleaf. Two town board members are up this year: Virginia Wilber and Carl Emmons.

You have to live within the town to fill these positions. Legislator Terry Wilbur is the legislator for the Hannibal area. Candidates for this office must live within the 21st district. These votes will be in November.

June 19th is the date for the village elections. Candidates must live within the village to run for these offices. Mayor Fred Kent and two village trustees, Joseph Caruana and Wendell Blanchard, are up for re-election this year. You must live in the village to run for village seats.

Very few people vote in the village elections; sometimes only seven or eight votes are casted.

Any one interested in running for any of these seats should contact the Hannibal town hall or the Oswego County Election Board as soon as possible. Intentions to run should be know by mid May.